A Happy Bonsai reader asked me how do I attach aluminum foil on my bonsai trees when I seal cuttings (refer to post – Sealing Cuts of Bonsai Trees). Although it seems obvious to me, it probably isn’t so clear for many others. So here, I have taken a photo of the aluminum foil that[continue reading…]

A Happy Bonsai reader asked me how do I attach aluminum foil on my bonsai trees when I seal cuttings (refer to post – Sealing Cuts of Bonsai Trees). Although it seems obvious to me, it probably isn’t so clear for many others. So here, I have taken a photo of the aluminum foil that[continue reading…]

A Happy Bonsai reader asked me how do I attach aluminum foil on my bonsai trees when I seal cuttings (refer to post – Sealing Cuts of Bonsai Trees). Although it seems obvious to me, it probably isn’t so clear for many others. So here, I have taken a photo of the aluminum foil that[continue reading…]

Last week, Teacher Wong demonstrated how to bend thick branches of a Brazilian Cherry bonsai tree by notching. “So, what is notching?” you probably will ask. Notching is a technique of bending a branch by cutting a “V” shape across the width of the branch and bend it into position Notching is especially useful for bending thick branches.

Only until recently have I learned from a Japanese bonsai friend that Zhong Kui (鍾馗 in Chinese) is not only a well-known mythology character in Chinese culture, but also in the Japanese culture. Well, I shouldn’t be too surprised since there is so much in common between the two cultures.

Have you come across a Podocarpus macrophyllus (aka Buddhist Pine, 羅漢松 in Chinese) with red leaves? While most Buddhist Pines only have leaves in green, the Buddhist Pine in Hainan Island has Buddhist Pine with red leaves. New foliage of most Podocarpus macrophyllus comes in a light green color that gets darker as time passes[continue reading…]

Podocarpus macrophyllus is one of the first few bonsai tree species that I learned about when I first put my feet in the bonsai world. Podocarpus macrophyllus is native to China and Japan. While the tree is called Kasamaki or Inumaki in Japanese, Podocarpus macrophyllus is also commonly called as Buddhist Pine, a literal translation of the tree’s Chinese name – Luo Han Song (羅漢松).

As you may know, I have a piece of 10 x 10 square feet land and a rack in the bonsai workshop (for more, check out the post My Bonsai Land Update – What is the Black Cloth for? and More Bonsai Trees on My Rack). I am growing a few big trees that need thicker trunks and more branch in the ground and putting the rest of my trees on the rack…

Here I have uploaded two videos taken in the Lingnan Penjing (Southern bonsai) show held in Daliang, China. In this video, you can see how a bonsai tree has seamlessly grown into a rock in a landscape bonsai. Visit this post – Lingnan Penjing Show in Daliang China – for more about the bonsai show[continue reading…]

With other committee members of Institute of Lingnan Penjing Hong Kong, I attended the Lingnan penjing (meaning: Southern bonsai) show which was hosted by 大良盆景協會 (literal translation: Daliang Penjing Association) earlier this month. It was amazing to see so many beautiful southern style penjing all put together in one place.

What is Lingnan penjing? What are there in Lingnan penjing that are so different from other penjing schools? What is the “Grow and Clip” method? These are the topics Teacher Wong talked about in my first Lingnan penjing class two years ago, and now I would like to share with you

I am currently working hard on building the official website of Institute of Lingnan Penjing, Hong Kong and have just finished the post about how to appreciate Chinese Lingnan Penjing (“Lingnan” means Southern, “penjing” is bonsai in Chinese).

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